Field Studies F112
Required of all Third Form students. Investigation is the basis for Field Studies. The local environment - ponds, lakes, fields and forests - provides the laboratory. Students learn the scientific method: how to articulate a problem; formulate a hypothesis; consider constants and variables; write an experimental procedure; and make measurements and collect data. Finally, they learn how to confirm or deny the hypothesis. The quantitative aspects prepare students for future study in the physical sciences; the field aspects provide a solid foundation for the biological sciences.
Biology Honors
This course is an accelerated version of Biology S222. Permission of the Director of Studies is required.
Biology S222
This course examines the structure and function of living organisms as seen through the historical development of biological concepts beginning with the cell. The relationship of living organisms to their environment, the progression from simple to complex, and continuity in change are essential elements of study.
Chemistry
Prerequisites: Biology; Algebra I
This is an introductory chemistry course covering the following topics; an introduction to matter; compounds, mixtures, and elements; the metrics system; measurements in science; atomic structure; the periodic table; chemical formulas and equations; stoichiometry, gases, water, and solutions; thermochemistry; reaction rates, equilibrium, acids, and bases; oxidation/reduction; and some carbon chemistry.
Anatomy
Prerequisite: Biology
This course is designed to give the student a working knowledge of the mammalian human anatomy through the dissection of domestic cats and dogfish sharks. Students are required to participate in thorough dissections of animal specimens. Once students have mastered basic anatomy, the course examines the physiology of each mammalian system. Time is also spent exploring exercise physiology and basic pathology. The student completes this course with a sound understanding of the human body.
Physics
Through extensive work in the laboratory and in mathematical problem solving, this course covers kinematics and dynamics of motion, energy, electricity and magnetism, optics, and topics in modern physics.
AP Chemistry
Prerequisites: Chemistry; Algebra II
This course follows the proscribed Advanced Placement Chemistry curricula and prepares students for the May AP exam. Permission of the Director of Studies is required.
AP Physics
This course follows the proscribed Advanced Placement Physics C curriculum and prepares students for the required May AP examinations in both Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism. Permission of the Director of Studies is required.
AP Biology
Prerequisites: Biology; Chemistry
This course follows the proscribed Advanced Placement Biology curriculum and prepares students for the May AP exam. Permission of the Director of Studies is required.
Environmental Science
Prerequisite: Biology
This course explores environmental issues from three vantage points: the unspoiled natural world, man's impact on the natural world, and possible resolutions to problems. Students investigate historical and ethical approaches to man's use of the natural environment. Extensive field work is integrated into the course as a means of exploring the various ecosystems on the School' s acreage, including streams, lakes, forest, and ponds.
Forest Science
Prerequisite: Biology
This innovative course introduces students to the ecology of forest stands and their roles in nature. The School's 700+ forest acres provides the laboratory for the study of types of trees and their growth and interrelatedness. Forest management, from plots in the Salisbury forest to national and global policies, is the primary emphasis.
Fresh Water Ecology
Prerequisite: Biology
This course explores the variety of factors that affect the quality of flowing water. Emphasis is on the study of the rivers and streams of northwestern Connecticut. Students visit many of them, and testing of these habitats includes physical, chemical and biological parameters of each site. The collected data provides valuable ecological information, which is sent to and becomes part of the permanent records of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. The course culminates in the completion of a comprehensive scientific paper about each student's site, which is submitted to the DEP for its review and future reference.
Geology
Prerequisite: Biology
Students study various land forms and learn to interpret the geologic processes at work that led to their formation. Included are: weathering and erosion, sedimentation, volcanism, plate tectonics, glaciation, stream features, and the geology of Connecticut and Cape Cod. The course centers on field study to observe and interpret various land forms. Topographic maps, stereo-aerial photographs, and lecture materials supplement field work. On field trips students examine various features throughout Connecticut and New York. A three-day trip to Cape Cod in May culminates the field studies of glaciation, beach features and the action of the wind.